Fountain pen



1,562,527 J. P. LYNN' ET AL I FOUNTAIN PEN Dec. 29, 1925- Filed March 13. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z0) these Dec. 29 192 5.

J. P. LYNN ET! AL FOUNTAIN PEN Filed March 13, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 sity for any adjustment.

Patented Dec. 29, i925.

JOHN P. LYNN AND HUGO A.

a law 1B FUNK, OF CHIGAGU, ELINUIS.

FOUNTAIN PEN.

Application filed March 13, 1924. Serial No. 698,954.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN P. LYNN and HUGO A. FUNK, both citizens of the United States, and residents of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Fountain Pen, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to fountain pens and particularly to-improvements in the construction and operation of the filling devices.

An object of the invention is to provide means intended to eliminate the use of the objectionable rubber sack commonly employed, not only for the purpose of increasing the ink-holding capacity but for removing the fundamental objection to the use of a substance suclras rubber which deteriorates after continued employment.

' the piston.

A further object is to provide means by which a readily replaceable pen point may be used, provision being made for positive positioning of the pen to eliminate the neces- Tothis end we contemplate the use of steel pens, the idea being to replace them as often as desired.

A particular object is to provide means in connection with a pen of the character described by which ink may be withdrawn from the lowest point of an ink container. In none of the pens commonly in use is it 'possible to obtain a filling after the ink has been exhausted to a point below the length to of the projecting pen point. Furthermore,

the pen oint is frequently bent or otherwise injured y inserting it in the glass container. In our construction the pen-holder is removed from the lower end of the piston rod when a filling takes place and the piston rod may be inserted in a remote corner of the ink container.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a pen constructed in accordance with our invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. i;

Fig. 4: is an elevation of the pen with the cap removed;

Fig. 5 is an elevation showing the method of operation when the pen is to be filled.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view through a modified form of the invention;

Figure 6 is a view showing the operation of the pivotal connection between the piston rod and the pen-holder.

7 is a plan view of the pen which It may employ;

8 is a sectional view on the line d ll of Fig. 6;

Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are likewise sectional views on the lines 9-9. 1010 and l'l-l'l. respectively. of Fig. 6.

Referring more particularly to the drawthe threaded lower end and a packing washj er 19f serves to effect a light joint. It piston 12, which may he provided with a hand or ring 19. of cork or other suitable material. is reciprocahle within the cylindrical hodv portion 10, under the action of a piston rod 13, having an enlarged and tapered lower 13 end 14. which is shaped to tit snugly within a similar opening in the plug ll. the porion 15 of the piston rod. outside of the enlarged endl l. is threaded and engages a pen-holder 16, within which the pen point- 1'? is mounted.

The piston rod has a pair of longitudinal openings, the opening 18 extending through the upper end of the rod communicates with the space above the piston. lt terminates in a. lateral outlet 19 at the face of the tapered, enlarged portion 14 so that when the rod is in its normal position the opening is closed by the tight fitting engagement of the ad joining surface. This provides for a vent tor the space at the rear oi? the piston. .l second longitudinal opening 20 has a lateral outlet 21 into the space below the piston, within which the ink is contained. This outlet is flared at the lower end of the red as at 22 and registers with 23 in lild meme? pen-holder terminating beneath the pen point 17. It is through this passage 20 that the ink is supplied to the barrel upon the upward movement of the piston. third passage 24 has a lateral outlet 25 into the space beneath the piston at a point ust 1nside of the packing washer 12. The lower end of the passage 24 communicates with the enlargement 22 heretofore described This passage serves as an ink feeder during the operations of the pen.

The pen-holder is provided with an annular enlargement 26, which, if desired, can be integral with the holder and which serves the function of a reinforcement for the screw-connection between the holder and the rod and as a finger-hold for engagement when the piston rod is to be extended preparatory to filling.

The pen 17 is provided with a springtongue 27, struck up from the body of the material and intended to assist in frictionally holding the pin in position. The pen is also provided with one or more lugs 28, which engage with recesses 29, formed in the pen-holder. These serve to accurately position the pen relative to the holder and the spring-tongue functions to securely hold the pen in position but to permit it to be w1th-' drawn for replacement.

The cap 30 is threaded for engagement with the plug and at its opposite end is provided with a closure 31, adapted for screwthreadedengagement with the hollow interior of the cap. This closure is surrounded at one end by a band 32, which holds a transparent disk 33. Beneath the disk on a disk of paper 34, the owners name or initials may be inscribed. On the opposite end of the olosure or plug 31 we may provide for intaglio initials or other devices 35. as best shown in Fig. 3, which may be used as a seal if desired by merely unscrewing the plug from the ca In operation the user, after removing the cap, grasps the annular enlargement 26 and withdraws the piston to its lower extremity. The pen holder is then detached from the piston rod by unscrewing and the lower end of the rod inserted, as shown in Fig. 5, in an ink container. Downward pressure on the barrel will cause movement thereof, the piston remaining stationary. As the space beneath the piston increases in volume, the reduced pressure therein will cause ink to be drawn thereinto through the passage, 20.

The air in the space above the piston which would otherwise be compressed, is permitted to escape through the passage, 18. Thereafter the pen-holder is replaced and if the piston rod has not completed its inward movement the movement is completed by inward pressure exerted through the annular enlargement 26. When in its inward position the lateral outlet 25 for the feeding opening will be at the lowest point of the space beneath the piston and ink'will be fed to the pen point.

In the event that the ink is to be withdrawn from a container having an ample supply, the filling operation may be performed without removing the pen-holder from the rod. In that case the pen point is withdrawn to avoid injury thereto and the holder inserted in the body of ink with its point resting on the floor of the container.

In the construction of Figs. 6 to 11 inclusive, I show a modified form in which the exterior of the barrel 36 is of octagonal cross-section. The hollow interior accommodates a piston 37 suitably secured to a piston rod 88 to the lower end of which a penholder 39 is pivoted by means of a transverse pin 40. The piston rod has a longitudinal-opening 41, which communicates by means of a transverse passage 42 with the space in the barrel beneath the piston. The

passage 41 registers with a feed passage 43 in the pen-holder 39. However, ink is supplied to the pen during use by means 01 the helical groove 44, around the lower end of the piston rod. This groove terminates at the joint between the rod and the holder, and the upper end of the groove, whenthe rod is in normal or. retracted position, communicates with the lower extremity of the space within the barrel, in order that the entire amount of ink therein may be used when the pen is held in a vertical position.

The means employed for preventing leakage from the lower end of the pen consists of a long sleeve 45 of cork securely held in a recess in the plug 46 by a nut 47.

The venting of the space above the piston is accomplished by providing a longitudinal tube 48 in the shell of the barrel which registers at its lower end with an annular groove 49 in the flanged end of the plug. A drilled passage 50 extends from the groove 49 to a lateral passage 51 which opens into the inwardly tapering aperture in the plug through which the piston rod extends. The rod is of conical form 52 at the point of engagement with this aperture and the vent opening is thus tightly closed when the piston is in retracted position. At its upper end the vent passage is in communication with the space above the piston except at the completion of the upward travel of the piston at which point the vent passage is closed. r

The pen 53, best shown in Figs. 7 and 6, has a tongue 54 struck out from its body, which tongue overlies a flattened tubular retainer 55 which fits over the pen-holder.

This provision enables the pen to be readily removed and replaced as desired, but holds it firmly against lateral movement.

A cap is employed the main portion of which is of octagonal form but at its point manner of engagement with the barrel or with the plug, as the case may be, it has a cylindrical metallic sleeve 56, which may be, as best shown in Fig. 10, slightly non circular in cross section to insure firm engagement.

In addition, we provide on its extremity a transparent cap which may have a vfrictional lit on a reduced portion 58 of the cap. Vithin the transparent cap and firmly held by screw engagement or otherwise, is a small knife 59 of the kind used for erasing. As the cap 57 may be readily removed to e. pose the knife, the knife may be conveniently employed in place of the separate iniplement commonly used by writers and draftsmen.

The use of the pen is the same as described heretofore, except that the penholder is not removed during the filling operation; it is merely swung on its pivot to permit the piston rod to'rest on the bottom of the ink container and to withdraw ink from the lowest point thereof.

Obviously other means may be employed for effecting many of the results described in connection herewith and we do not wish to be limited except as indicated in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a fountain pen, the combination with the barrel and nib, of a piston and a tubular piston rod, a passage being provided be tween the hollow interior of the rod and the space in the barrel below the piston, a pen holder removably fixed to the free end of the piston rod and located outside of the lower end of the barrel, whereby it may be grasped to withdraw the piston to its lower limit of travel in the barrel and means providing for delivery of ink from the reservoir to the nib.

2. In a fountain pen. the combination with the barrel and nib, of a piston and a tubular piston rod, a passage being provided between the hollow interior of the rod and the space in the barrel below the piston, a. pen-holder connected to the free end of the piston rod, and means in said connection permitting said piston rod to rest upon the bottom wall of an ink container, and to withdraw ink from the lowest point thereof,

.and means providing for delivery of ink ting the exposed end of the hollow piston rod to be inserted in a body of ink and to permit the elevation of a quantity of said ink through the passage in the rod into the space below the piston upon relative downward movement. oi" the barrel and means providing for delivery olt ink from the I'GSCIVOlI to the nib.

In a fountain pen. the (fOl'lll'JlllZltlOll oi a barrel. :1 piston reriprocable therein, a tubular piston rod, a pen-holder and pen connected to the free end of the piston rod, means in aid connection permitting said piston. rod to rest upon the bottom wall of an ink contaii'icr, said piston rod being provided with a vent opening from the space above the piston rod to a point adjacent the free end of said rod and means providing for supplying ink to the space beneath the piston and delivering ink from said space to said pen.

5. In a fountain pen, the combination oi.

a cylinder, a piston reciprocable therein, a

piston rod, a penholder removably mounted on the lower end of the said piston rod, said rod having a longitudinal passage from its lower end to a point near the junction of the rod with the piston, said passage providing for delivering ink into the space heneath the piston. and means providing for the delivery of ink from the space beneath the piston to the pen-holder, said rod having a second passage communicating with the space above the piston, the outlet for said passage being adjacent to the lower end of the piston rod.

6. In a fountain pen. the combination oi a barrel. a piston. a piston rod. a pen-holder at the lower end of said rod, a plug closing the lower open end of said barrel. said plug having an axial opening for the accommo dation of said rod. said rod and plug having a relatively tight fitting joint when the rod is in normal position, said rod having a longitudinal passage communicating with the space above the piston and terminating at the lower end of the rod at a point engagement between the rod and plug, and means for supplying ink to the space beneath the piston and delivering the ink from said space to a pen carried by said pen-holder.

"I. In a fountain pen, the combination of a barrel. a piston reciprocablc therein, a piston rod, said piston rod having a passage tor venting the space above said piston rod, and a pen-holder remo *ably mounted upon the lower end of. said piston rod an means providing for supplying ink to the space heneath the piston and for delivering ink from said space to said pen-holder.

8. In a fountain pen, the combination of a barrel. a piston therein. a piston rod. a

ii U

and means providing for supplying ink to the space beneath the piston and for delivering;- ink from said space to said pen-holder.

9. In a fountain pen, the combination with a barrel, of a piston therein, a piston rod and a pen-holder connected to the lower end of said rod, said rod having a passage connnunicating with the pen-holder and with the space beneath the piston rod at a 19 point immediately beneath the piston, a sec- D meme? 0nd passage communicating with the space above the plston and terminating at a point adjacent the lower end of the rod, and a third passage communicating with the pen and with the space beneath the piston at the 1 lowest point of said space.

Signed at Chicago, 111., this 6thv day of 

